Watsonville Man Suspected Of Hiding Machete, Tossing Loaded Gun During Police Chase
WATSONVILLE (CBS SF) -- A 23-year-old man suspected of hiding a machete and throwing out a loaded, unregistered gun was arrested in Watsonville after a foot chase early Monday morning, a police sergeant said.
Erwin Hernandez-Garcia was arrested on suspicion of possession of a loaded and unregistered firearm, resisting arrest, providing false identification to a peace officer, possession of drug paraphernalia and two outstanding warrants, police Sgt. Antonio Figueroa said.
Officers responded to a report of yells from a female and two to three males followed by a gunshot heard in the area of the 2100 block of Freedom Boulevard around 1:30 a.m., Figueroa said.
A dispatcher took down a description of the male suspects and the direction they were last seen heading, which was given to officers, Figueroa said.
Police saw three men who matched the description about three blocks south in the 1900 block of Freedom Boulevard and stopped them, Figueroa said.
One of the men, later identified as 23-year-old Erwin Hernandez-Garcia, ran away to a parking lot and officers chased him, according to Figueroa.
Hernandez-Garcia discarded an item over a fence but was soon after detained, the sergeant said.
The 23-year-old was found with a large machete knife in a sheath he had concealed, Figueroa said.
A K-9 unit conducted a search after Hernandez-Garcia was apprehended and found the item he discarded was a loaded Taurus-brand .38-caliber Special revolver, Figueroa said.
Hernandez-Garcia said he and the two other men who were also detained were members of the Sureno gang, according to Figueroa.
Hernandez-Garcia was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail, according to Figueroa.
Officers searched the area for victims but were unable to find any, the sergeant said.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the crime tip line at (831) 728-3544 or the investigation bureau at (831) 768-3352.
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